Players You Won’t See C’s Acquire at Trade Deadline

These couple weeks in February are a fun time of year for Celtics fans, as we try to throw together various scenarios to help put our team over the top in its latest title run. Yet, despite the fun of these exercises, it bothers me when there are journalists (quality ones at that) throwing names out there as trade targets, when realistically, there is nearly no chance of this team making a move for said players for a variety of reasons. (roster spots, future salaries, lack of assets to acquire, etc.)

With that in mind, it’s time for us to put the clamps on some of the names supposively being brought up in prospective Celtics trade talks.

Players That The Celtics Will Not Acquire Via Trade

Tayshaun Prince: Two problems here. Number one, he makes 11.1 million dollars this year, and the C’s don’t have the players they are willing to trade to make the numbers work. Second, not only do the numbers not match, the C’s don’t have the tradeable assets anyway the Pistons will be looking for a guy that averages nearly 15 points and 5 rebounds per game. It’s a non-starter. I’d love to see Prince on this team, it’s just not going to happen.

Richard Hamilton: Another popular name in prospective trade talk. There’s a oh-so-slim chance the C’s will acquire him, but will only do so if he gets bought out. Similar to Prince, he makes 12.5 million dollars this year and has an additional year left on his contract at that same number. The numbers simply don’t work. Don’t count on a buyout either, since the Pistons would have to pony up a lot to send him backing. With the CBA due to expire, Rip won’t leave too much money and security on the table for a chance to win, especially considering he probably won’t make even half of that 12.5 million dollar amount in his next deal. Plan on him staying put in Motown.

Josh Childress: The Suns signed Childress to a five year 33 million dollar contract this season, and now he’s out of the team’s rotation as they battle for one of the final spots in the west. Do the Suns want to deal him? Probably. Is there anyway Danny Ainge takes on that kind of money in a long term deal right now, given the team’s future salaries committed already? No chance in hell. Let’s move on.

Troy Murphy: Again, we run into a dollars and cents problem here. The veteran power forward is making 12 million dollars in the final year of his deal. His trade value is at rock bottom given he hasn’t seen the floor since December. New Jersey probably couldn’t have handled his situation any worse, but that’s a story for another day.

Is he still a useful player? His size (6-11) and outside shooting (39 percent career 3-point shooter) make that a resounding yes. He’s an option for Boston if he’s bought out, which seems inevitable, unless he’s dealt as rumored to Golden State. Boston will not be seeking his services however, unless it’s for the veteran’s minimum for the rest of the year, and quite honestly I’m not sure Danny would cut Luke Harangody to bring him in.

Charlie Bell: The 31-year old undersized swingman (6-3) has played just 18 games for the Golden State Warriors and is shooting a putrid 27 percent from the field while taking just 43 shots total. He also was arrested for DUI a few weeks back. The Warriors have started playing Bell again the past couple games, likely to try to entice some squad to take him and his bad contract (4.1 million for next year). The C’s won’t be that team though, since it doesn’t have that kind of money to waste for next year. They certainly wouldn’t swap a guy like Nate Robinson for him straight up.

So there you have it. Five names that won’t be coming to the C’s via trade. There are plenty of reasonable targets out there Ainge and Doc will be considering and we’ll go over those in-depth starting tomorrow. Here’s a few for now to keep you satisfied.

I like all of this besides Anthony Parker. Great player but he's a 1/2, not a swingman, we just dont have any space for another guard on the roster..

CG12

That is flat out wrong. Anthony Parker is a 3-man. He is just the kind of 3-and-D guy the Celtics could use.

Chris O

Yes Parker is definitely a 3, I'd rather see Moon than Parker but Parker is not a 1/2. Where did you come up with him as a 1?

Chris O

You must have confused Tony Parker.

loycom

James Posey

Eric

Sorry, but Posey is terrible right now. And contrary to conventional wisdom, he can guard neither LeBron or Kobe (or Wade). No thanks.

What More Can I Say?

Who can guard those guys?!?!!?? Other than Tony Allen on Kobe…there isn't a guy that can really guard the top 3 players in the league…so what are you really saying?!?!?

Robert

True, no one can really. But with Posey, I don't think he can even handle the second tier guys at this point, let alone the elite.

CG12

Agreed. Posey is fossilizing, just as the Cs figured when they declined to give him a 4-year deal. They don't want him now for the same reasons they didn't want him then.

LStrike

I don't mind some Rasual Butler, would be a nice fit at 6'7", especially for the role he would play on the team.

Ari

agreed he couldstrech the floor well but how much would we be giving ip?

Banner18

Get Battier. He's a perfect fit for now and the post big 3 transition. Give up any combination of draft choices, Nate, Luke, Avery Bradley, Quis, JO. Battier likes guarding Lebron and Kobe and he doesn't do a bad job. He makes them work their points. He's the best available player.
Go Danny-Go!

What More Can I Say?

Easier Said than done.

Ari

all in favor to give up avery, jermain's carcass, and maybe 1 more guy (nate if necessary) for a great stopper/3 point guy like shane say i! alot of these guys are temporary fillers who we'd give up too much for, but the price is right on battier , who could help us even in the playoffs

Larry

James Posey has never been replaced by the Celtics. It cost us a championship last year and may cost us another one this year. Anyone who thinks Wallace or this O'Neal character (NOT SHAQ) was a wiser investment knows little to nothing about basketball. Who guarded Kobe and made him look awful in 07/08? The Celtics saved money not resigning Posey? Can't prove that by me. I know we lost one title already when we refused to resign OUR 6th man! This year could be #2. Big mistake by Danny!

CG12

Not signing Posey wasn't really about saving money. It was about preserving the limited money available to the team under the salary cap to sign someone (or several someones) who would retain that value over the next 4 years. Posey has declined sharply and now does not play at for Indiana. Keeping James Posey simply would not have left the Cs better off.

LB33

Posey has not been the 2007/08 Posey since…wait for it…20007/08. He has been steadily declining. His absence did not cost us the championship last season. The problem was at the 4 and 5 spots. KG had not fully recovered, 'Sheed was out of shape, and Baby, for all his pluses, does not have the length and/or elevation to match up with Gasul, Bynum, and Odom. At the end of the day, it was Perk's unfortunate injury that cost us Game 7. Posey's absence might have mattered two years ago, but that became moot when KG got hurt. Our problem in last year's Finals was not the absence of a 6'9" perimiter player. TA and Pierce did their job and Kobe didI not close out the game. It was the 20+ points and rebounds Gasol laid on us, and our inability to rebound down the stretch. Perk and KG usualy make Gasol cry and wet himself, but last year Perk was out and KG was not his explosive self. Posey does not cure that. But giving Posey a big 4-year deal would have made it hard to re-sign Pierce and Ray last summer, let alone assemble a bench.

No. I'd be really interested to know where this myth comes from. That's not what happened. Kobe schooled Posey every time he got a chance. Ray and Paul were the only good defenders on Kobe that series, and they were very good at times. Posey never was. He was little better against LeBron that year, but not much.

What cost us the championship in '09 was KG's injury. In '10 it was our inability to rebound and to score at crucial times (note I said nothing about homecourt advantage). Posey had nothing to do with any of this.

Eric

Sorry I missed LB33's reply when I typed the above. S/he says it much better than I do.

Capo

Nocioni would be a great fit. He’d bring intensive defense and 3s from the bench.

ryan

Stephen or Joey Graham could be options

Chris O

I like Jamario Moon, can shoot the 3 ball, plays the 3 (could fit the 2 if needed really) can defend well with his athleticism and length. Nice low contract that is ending soon. Nuff said

Larry

Sorry folks, but James Posey was the perfect 6th man for this team. He fit in Boston and did not and does not fit in New Orleans or Indianna. His salary would have been fairly close to what the Celtics wasted on Wallace last year and O'Neal (not Shaq) this year. Eric, I think you need to get your glasses fixed or your memory if you think that Kobe did a number on Posey in the Finals of 08. We also would have had some players rested for the 4th qtr last year if Posey had been there.

Danny messed up not resigning James Posey, our 6th man. It cost us the championship- last year and may end up doing the same this year. I hope not but,—-Shame on Danny! By the way, what did danny sign the other O'Neal for this year? Lots of money wasted there.

CG12

Posey WAS the perfect 6th man. You seem unable or unwilling to understand that players typically get worse as they age into their mid-30s, as Posey is doing now. Look as his shooting percentages – they have been just awful for the last several years. And the Cs have used that money to sign additional big guys, as the lack of bigs is the reason why we weren't able to close out game 7 last year. The presence of James Posey would have made no difference. Look, I like Posey and appreciate the big contributions he made that year, but I said at the time and still maintain that letting him go was absolutely the right thing to do.